FORGOTTEN ONES: JACK JENNEY

In the world of jazz and big band, there are countless gifted artists who have died young like Bunny Berigan, Fats Waller, and Eddie Lang to name a few. Another gifted musician to add to the list is Jack Jenney. Born in Mason City, Iowa on May 12, 1910, he was a celebrated jazz trombonist who was best known for instrumental versions of the song Stardust, was one of the United States' most popular musicians of the 1930s and 1940s. Christopher Popa, in an article for Big Band Library.com, quoted jazz critic and author Leonard Feather as saying Jenney was known "for the quiet beauty of his tone and style on sweet melodic variations, of which 'Stardust' was the most extraordinary example."  George T. Simon, historian and author, commented that Jenney "blew his instrument with great feeling, what for me is the warmest, most personal sound I've ever heard from any horn."

Jack attended Prescott Elementary and Franklin School and played with his father's band from age eleven.  He first played professionally locally at the age of thirteen with "Art Braun and his Novelty Boys," a Dubuque jazz band before transferring from Dubuque High School on a music scholarship for three years at the Culver Military Academy in Culver, Ind.  In 1926 he was a member of the orchestra that entertained Queen Marie of Romania during her visit to Chicago. 

Jenney's first professional job was with Austin Wylie in 1928. By 1935 he was rated at the foremost trombonist in the dancing world enabling him to earn $550 each week as he performed with Victor Young's recording orchestra.  He also had stints with Isham Jones (recording with the latter) and Mal Hallett (1933). Jenney was in great demand for studio work in New York, working with Victor Young, Fred Rich, radio staff orchestras and appearing on recordings with ensembles led by Red Norvo, Glenn Miller (1935), Dick McDonough, the trombonist's wife singer Kay Thompson (1937), and Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians. Jenney won the Down Beat Reader's Poll for trombone in 1940 and was voted into the Metronome All Star Band the same year.  He appeared in such movies as "Second Chorus" (1940), "Syncopation"and "Stage Door Canteen" (1943), performing in the latter with the Benny Goodman Orchestra. In correlation with the movie, "Syncopation," RKO joined with the Saturday Evening Post in conducting a poll of 100 radio stations to determine what musicians the nation would prefer in a "dream team." The trombonists selected were Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Jack Teagarden and Jenney. 

Jenney was one of two trombonists (the other was Jack Teagarden) who played as part of the Metronome magazine all-star band, which recorded King Porter Stomp for Columbia on February 1, 1940. In 1939-40 Jenney led his own band which included Peanuts Hucko, Paul Fredricks, and Hugo Winterhalter. Although it appeared at the World's Fair and Loew's State Theatre in New York City the following year, the band became only marginally successful.

Jenney briefly worked with Benny Goodman's band around the end of 1942 and the start of 1943. He was drafted and served in the Navy during World War II During 1943-44, he led a Navy band, but was discharged for health reasons. Jenney settled in California to do studio work, but developed kidney trouble. He sadly died suddenly due to a burst appendix on December 23, 1945 in Los Angeles. California. He was only 35 years old. It is hard to find recordings by the band of Jack Jenney, but do yourself a favor and check them out if you can. For Jenney's trombone work alone, they are worth listening to and remembering him...